Method and apparatus for beamforming control in a wireless communication network

A network node configured for operation in a wireless communication network, the network node comprising:

• communication circuitry configured for wireless communication with wireless communication devices, or configured for inter-nodal communication with another network node in the network that is configured for wireless communication with wireless communication devices;
• and
• processing circuitry operatively associated with the communication circuitry and configured to:
• determine a directional reception scanning ability of a wireless communication device, according to a capability indication signaled by the device;
• and
• configure a network transmission for the device, in dependence on the directional reception scanning ability of the device,
• wherein the processing circuitry is configured to configure the network transmission for the device by selecting a transmission beam sweeping configuration, including:
• selecting one or more transmission beamforming directions, from among a plurality of transmission beam directions included in a transmission beam sweep.

A method of operation by a wireless communication device configured for operation with a wireless communication network, the method comprising:

• determining a directional reception scanning ability of the device;
• sending a capability indication to the network, indicating the directional reception scanning ability of the device;
• and
• for receiving a network transmission, configuring reception beamforming at the device, in dependence on the directional reception scanning ability, wherein the directional reception scanning ability corresponds to whether the device has the ability to scan in multiple reception directions simultaneously, and, where the device is not able to scan in multiple reception directions simultaneously, configuring the reception beamforming at the device comprises selecting or prioritizing a particular reception beamforming direction to use for receiving the network transmission.

A wireless communication device configured for operation with a wireless communication network, the device comprising:

• communication circuitry configured for wireless communication with transmission/reception points in the network;
• and
• processing circuitry operatively associated with the communication circuitry and configured to:
• determine a directional reception scanning ability of the device;
• send a capability indication to the network, indicating the directional reception scanning ability of the device;
• and
• for receiving a network transmission, configure reception beamforming at the device, in dependence on the directional reception scanning ability, wherein the directional reception scanning ability corresponds to whether the device has the ability to scan in multiple reception directions simultaneously, and, where the device is not able to scan in multiple reception directions simultaneously, the processing circuitry is configured to configure the reception beamforming at the device by selecting or prioritizing a particular reception beamforming direction to use for receiving the network transmission.

A wireless communication system comprising:

• a wireless communication device configured for operation with a wireless communication network, the wireless communication device comprising:
• communication circuitry configured for wireless communication with transmission/reception points in the network;
• and
• processing circuitry operatively associated with the communication circuitry and configured to:
• determine a directional reception scanning ability of the device;
• and
• send a capability indication to the network, indicating the directional reception scanning ability of the device;
• and
• a network node configured for operation in the network, the network node comprising:
• communication circuitry configured for wireless communication with the device, or configured for inter-nodal communication with another network node in the network that is configured for wireless communication with the device;
• and
• processing circuitry operatively associated with the communication circuitry and configured to:
• determine a directional reception scanning ability of the device, according to a capability indication signaled by the device;
• and
• configure a network transmission for the device, in dependence on the directional reception scanning ability of the device,
• wherein the processing circuitry of the network node is configured to configure the network transmission for the device by selecting a transmission beam sweeping configuration, including:
• selecting one or more transmission beamforming directions, from among a plurality of transmission beam directions included in a transmission beam sweep.